


Silent Screams

by OnyxBones



Category: Among Us (Video Game), Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Among Us (Video Game) Setting, Alternate Universe - Space, Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Character Death, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, History Jokes, Human & Country Names Used (Hetalia), M/M, Minor England/France (Hetalia), Murder, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Outer Space, Science Fiction, Secret Relationship, Spooky, germany iq over 9000, hetalia has consumed me yet again, im addicted to among us pls help me, italy cooking pizza to cure depression, russia has strong feelings on the space race, spooky vibes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:35:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29035533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnyxBones/pseuds/OnyxBones
Summary: The Hetalia nations are sent on a space mission. They must safely reach Mars for planetary exploration. They must work together to complete the mission safely, each nation's trust will be tested beyond their expectation.
Relationships: China/Russia (Hetalia), England/France (Hetalia)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 12





	1. Prologue

The world's nations had gathered. A new goal was set in motion for the advancement of Earth. Compiling the data and information of the world's greatest minds and researchers, the nations had decided on a new mission. The exploration of Mars. It had been decided that each G8 country representative would be sent to Mars to complete this task. With collective efforts, a sizable rocket was built and heavy-duty space suits were given to each nation representative. Each with a flag from their country stitched onto the sleeve. With everything prepared, all factors are taken into consideration, nothing could possibly go wrong on this space mission. Right?


	2. New Horizons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The nations are busy at work and Ludwig is feeling a certain type of way. As he becomes familiar with his duties on the ship, he struggles to find comfort despite his fellows working beside him.

The constant hum of the spacecraft buzzed. The sound was low and gentle, gentle enough to lul one to sleep at night. Ludwig lay in his cabin, the sound of the engine echoed around him. The sound was inescapable. He had no idea what the time was. The concept of day and night was abandoned. He turned his head to gaze out of the window. He was greeted with the abyss of space. An inky black horizon, full of mystery but empty of certainty. Ludwig could not help but admire the view from his window, but it didn't relax him. He was in unfamiliar territory and this made him uneasy.

A system had been set in place for each nation. Each one was responsible for different tasks each day and was vital each nation completed their daily tasks. It ensured the ship would safely arrive at Mars. Ludwig was assigned to the engine room. His nation being a leader in engineering, he was entrusted with ensuring the engine ran safely and efficiently. Each nation had been assigned as followed: Ludwig assigned to engine room; Alfred assigned to weapons; Arthur assigned to navigation; Feliciano assigned to the cafeteria; Kiku assigned to electricals; Francis assigned to shields; Yao assigned to admin and Ivan assigned to storage. Ludwig pondered the assignments of each nation. He didn't have much to complain about, however, he wasn't surprised to hear Alfredbegged to be assigned to weapons or that Ivan was lurking in the dark storage room. 

With a sigh, he got up from his cabin bed and stepped back into his spacesuit. He had a task in the engine room he was yet to complete. Zipping up his suit, he exited his cabin and made his way to the engine room. 

He paced down the metal hallway, his footsteps clunking against the steel flooring. The distant sound of computers flashing and beeping was a small solace. Passing the electrical room, Ludwig peered in. At the back of the room, a figure stood hunched over. A suit bearing a Japanese flag on the sleeve fidged with the wires. Large white fingers carefully organising the cables. Wires crackled as Kiku assigned the wires to the correct colour. Ludwig paused to watch him for a moment before continuing on his way. The ship was so vast and large. It would be impossible to hear others coming or to shout to another person for assistance. The constant humming of the engine only made this more complicated. We should have included a means of communication, Ludwig thought. The scientists had included was a red button in the cafeteria. This sounded an alarm, summoning all workers for an emergency meeting. Otherwise, nations were left to complete their tasks.

Ludwig reached the door to the engine. Upon entering, he immediately noticed a flashing screen. He darted towards it and examined the issue. The red screen flashed an image of a handprint and bold yellow words. "Scan required". Ludwig placed a gloved hand on the screen and waited. Blue light glowed underneath his hand. The red screen soon turned blue and began to function as normal. Ludwig took a moment to check other stats. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Adjusting the glove on his hand, he looked around the room. 

The engine was not the most well-lit room. Shadows lingered in the corners. Metal pipes snaked around the room and entwined around the reactor. Steam hissed within the pipes. Inside the reactor, a yellow liquid glowed, giving the room a yellow hue. The window inside the reactor was plastered with warning signs and danger symbols. Each warning labeled in several different languages. 

Ludwig sighed. 

As the nations worked on their tasks, something eery was afoot. Ludwig shook it off as anxiety, he had never been to space before. However, this anxiety was immediately squashed when a red light flashed around the room. An alarm from the speakers. The screens he worked on flashed a simple message. Communication error. A cold shiver rushed through his body. A communication error so early in the journey? Dropping all tasks, he rushed from the engine room towards communications.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter one done yee yee! please leave feedback and all comments are welcome ^__^ not sure how many chapters this will contain but lets see what happens, ill aim to update at least once per week!


	3. Technical Difficulties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An emergency shakes up some of the nations onboard the ship. With an emergency happening so soon in their journey, one cannot predict what the rest of the journey has in store for them.

The entire ship was drowned in a red glow. The light of the siren flashed around the ship. Ludwig looked up from his work. The harsh red light flashed in his eyes. The ear-splitting alarm rang inside his ears. If it was possible, Ludwig could swear his ears were bleeding. 

Dropping the tools in his hands, Ludwig rushed towards the emergency. The tools fell with a loud metallic clank. Stumbling from the engine room, Ludwig looked around. He cursed. The ship was poorly labeled. The coloured arrows and signs were complicated to read. He closed his eyes and breathed. The alarm still rang inside his head. Ludwig followed the sound of the alarm. His clunky space suit made it difficult to move efficiently. Inside his chest, Ludwig felt his heart thumping.

As he reached the doors of communications, inside stood three other nations. Kiku trying to fix the problem, Yao, and Francis merely watched. Francis watched as the smaller nation tuned the radiowaves. The radio screeched as Kiku twisted the dial in different ways. Each time, the screeching worsened. Yao pressed his hands against his helmet to mimic shielding his ears. 

"Are you finished yet?!" Yao screamed over the emergency alarm. Francis sighed dramatically. Poor Kiku, Ludwig thought. Stepping forward, Ludwig leaned over to help Kiku. Ludwig turned towards his face. Kiku had the same stoic expression. His brows furrowed with concentration. It was Kiku's eyes that Ludwig couldn't ignore. Kiku's usually calm yet impassive eyes displayed otherwise. Like a deer in headlights, Kiku's eyes were wide and alert. Ludwig could have sworn he didn't see Kiku blink for even a second. 

"Here," Ludwig said, gesturing Kiku to step aside and collect himself. Ludwig looked at the computer. The screen flashed different error messages. Red and yellow boxes flooded the screen. With a swift hand, Ludwig tuned the radio. For a moment, the radio screeched and buzzed. Yao and Francis watched as the broad man worked. They could only watch helplessly. Suddenly, the screeching ended and the emergency siren stopped. Silence fell around the ship. Ludwig sighed. His ears stopped ringing. Each nation paused for a moment, even Francis didn't speak. 

"Good job Ludwig," Yao said, breaking the silence. Francis laughed and waved his hand. 

"I almost panicked there" he teased, Yao scowled in disbelief and swotted his arm. 

"Thank you, Beilschmidt-san," Kiku said, watching Ludwig compose himself. Swallowing, he nodded and cleared his throat. 

"Ja, we must be careful, any mistakes and we might not get home," he said flatly. Yao stopped slapping Francs, they both turned to face Ludwig. Ludwig's face was hard and firm. Francis tilted his head and shrugged. 

"Well, you fixed the problem so we should be safe, right?" Francis said in a singsong. 

With those words, they dispersed and continued with their duties before anyone could answer. Francis made his way back to shields and Yao decided it was lunchtime. Kiku turned back to glance at Ludwig before heading back to electricals. Ludwig watched each person leave before he was the final person left in the room. Once the door closed, he turned back to the computer. Ludwig had many questions about this machine. He leaned towards the screen. It was a means to communicate with those back on Earth. Grabbing the headset, he held the microphone close to his helmet.

"This is Germany, I want to check communication is working effectively, over," he said sheepishly into the headset. There was a pause and a crackle of static. Germany waited for a response. 

"Germany, this is HQ, we hear you loud and clear, over" an American voice spoke, his voice crackled. Breathing a small sigh of relief, Ludwig hung up the headset and left communications. The door hissed as it opened. He flicked the light off and turned back one last time. He stared into the darkroom, only the light of the computer illuminated the room. As he stared, heavy footsteps echoed behind him. 

"Oh, hello Mr. Beilschmidt" a Russian accent greeted. With a small jump, Ludwig faced the source of the voice. 

"Ah, Mr. Braginsky, hello," Ludwig said, turning to face the big Russian man. Ivan's gloves were covered in a brownish tint, the smell of petrol was potent. Splashes of petrol were spotted up his arm and down the front of his suit. Ludwig grimaced. 

"Working hard?" Ludwig asked, eyeballing the petrol splashes. 

"Da, of course, but I must change my suit, see you around," Ivan said, his face smiling and beaming through his helmet. He strode past Ludwig and made his way to his cabin. Ludwig exhaled and decided to make his way to the reactor. While he recalled his tasks for the day, he couldn't help but wonder why Ivan was covered in petrol. The stench filled the hallway. Crinkling his nose, Ludwig returned to his duties.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I changed my mind and decided to use human names since it sounds way more natural! As always, thank you very much for reading, and your feedback is always appreciated! :)


	4. Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The communication error left some a little on edge however the nations still found some time to bond a little and share some laughs. Can you guess who has never eaten space food before?

After a long day of working, the nations had gathered together for their mealtime. They sat on the circular cafeteria benches and looked at their meal. A small airtight sealed packet with a small label. Both Francis and Feliciano turned their nose up. With a loud slap, Alfred threw his packet on the table and rubbed his hands together with excitement. Francis and Feliciano watched the ravenous American tear into his food with disdain and curiosity. 

"What is this?" Francis asked, holding up the silver packet with two fingers. He turned it in his fingers and sighed. 

"Come on dude, it's not that bad! I'm used to this since I'VE been to space before!" Alfred said with an air of smugness. Without hesitation, he stuffed the brownie into his mouth, small crumbs clung to his lips. Arthur recoiled at his little brother's noisy eating. Ivan tore open his packet of instant soup and jabbed the straw into the packet, resembling that of a Capri sun. 

"Once, you went to space once" Ivan muttered with his straw between his lips. Alfred swallowed his food and turned his body to face the broad Russian. Setting down his brownie, Alfred pointed a finger at Ivan. 

"Yeah but I go to the moon first! Ya fuckin' commie!" Alfred said, his voice overflowing with laughter and mockery. His eyes closed tight and his face twisted with laughter. Arthur rolled his eyes as he opened his packet. Ivan simply sat, listening to the loud American belittle his politics and achievements. Yao snapped his head towards Alfred. 

"Will you shut your loud mouth?" he asked with scorn. Ludwig could only ignore his surroundings. Nothing was different, it was the same tomfoolery with this bunch. The same fighting, the same petty arguments. Same bullshit, different place. Ludwig drank some fruit punch from his packet. Beside him, Kiku was slowly eating some chicken with a small tinfoil dish of rice. 

"Kiku, you don't look so good," Ludwig said, trying to stir anything from the quiet man. Kiku swallowed and paused for a moment. 

"I'm fine, thank you, Beilschmidt-san" he responded flatly. Ludwig thought back to the time in the communication room. He recalled the look of panic and hysteria on Kiku's face. Ludwig sipped his fruit punch. In hopes of quashing any tension, Feliciano posed a question. 

"Why do we have these boring space suits? I wish we could have colourful ones" he said, smiling at the rest of the group, his hands clapped together. Francis laughed aloud. 

"I would choose a nice, sexy 'ot pink," he said, pushing back his bouncy blond hair. Felicano's mouth made a small 'o' in awe. 

"Wow, Francey that's so cool. I would have a nice bright yellow" Feliciano said, his voice chimed. Arthur sneered at the childish concept and chuckled. 

"I would never worry myself with such childish endeavors, however, if I had to choose..." he said. His voice trailing away as he thought about what colour he actually likes. He leaned back in his chair and cupped his chin. Francis elbowed him. 

"I think brown to go with your stinky personality," he said, grinning at the thinking Briton. Arthur elbowed him back and snorted. 

"Well, then you should have green to match your frog's legs, you frog". The other nations could only watch as Francis and Arthur continued to jab at each other. As they hollered, they were getting awfully close to each other. Ludwig looked away and shuddered, he had enough on his mind at the moment. 

After nothing short of a noisy meal time, Ivan checked his watch. 

"I must go throw the garbage into the endless vacuum of space, do svidaniya" Ivan said, throwing his food packet away and pacing from the cafeteria. The others watched Ivan disappear before the doors closed behind him. Alfred snort laughed. 

"What a loser, I'm heading back to my cabin, smell you later dweebs" he sneered and departed. Arthur followed not long after and soon each one trickled away until only Kiku, Ludwig and Feliciano remained. The three men sat together and sighed. 

"Feliciano, how are you finding this so far?" Ludwig asked. He hadn't seen much of Feliciano, they worked in totally different areas of the ship. It intrigued him if the effects of space had any effect on the jolly Italian. 

"Ci, it's not so bad I just hate the food but the view from the window is so magical," he said with his face beaming into a huge smile. Ludwig sighed with relief. He turned to Kiku, who hadn't said much at mealtime nor since coming on the ship. 

"And you, Kiku?" Ludwig asked, prompting Kiku to speak. 

"It's fine, it's hard work and I feel like I am never finished with my tasks" he began, Feliciano and Ludwig listened closely. 

"I will do my best to make sure another accident doesn't happen" 

Ludwig and Feliciano were silent for a moment. Stunned by Kiku's words. 

"Don't worry Mr. Japan! We will all work together and finish this mission together!" Feliciano chimed, throwing his hands in the air. Kiku half smiled and chuckled slightly. 

"Yes, we sure will" 

The three friends bid their farewells and split off into their respective tasks. Ludwig had one last task to complete before he could retire for the working day. He checked the time on his watch, the time was much later than he expected. The time was past six o'clock. On his way to the lower engine, Ludwig passed Ivan in storage. He stood idly, watching the garbage flutter away into the emptiness of space. Ivan's face reflected in the window. His were eyes empty and unblinking. Long strands of silvery hair obstructed his face. Empty food packets, old wires, and other general waste dispersed into the vacuum of space. Ludwig said nothing to Ivan, respectfully leaving him in peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading! Every so often I will make edits to the chapters so don't be shocked if there have been a few changes! As always, comments and feedback are always welcome here!


	5. No One Can Hear You Scream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfred is late for work today, wonder why that could be?

Ludwig's eyes slowly peeled open. His eyes were heavy from sleep. It took a few moments for his eyes to open and adjust to his surroundings. 

The clock displayed 7 o'clock in the morning, coordinated universal time. The view from Ludwig's cabin certainly didn't reflect this time. Staring into the darkness, Ludwig blinked a few times. The view was the same as the day before. The same inky horizon with specks of light. Ludwig wondered if he would ever see anything from his window. After a moment, he climbed from his bed and dug out a new, clean suit for the day. Same colour, same design, and the same flag stitched onto the same sleeve. Gently zipping it closed, he padded it down closer to his body and exited his cabin for another day on the ship. 

The entire first shift was normal. No emergencies, no technical difficulties. Feliciano did come to the reactor room to take a peek at Ludwig's work. Feliciano beamed at the room and mused at how smart Ludwig must be. He chattered about something to do with fixing things and how smart Ludwig is. Ludwig plonked him on a stool and ordered him not to touch anything. Like an obedient puppy, Feliciano was glued to his stool. Ludwig's strict order did not deter him from talking his ear off. For the most part, Ludwig did not even hear what Feliciano chattered about. His voice muffled by the rumbling of the engine. When Ludwig finished his work and wiped his forehead, Feliciano smiled softly. 

"Let's eat," he said simply, Ludwig didn't need to reply, Feliciano knew his answer. 

As they arrived at the cafeteria, they were immediately greeted with Arthur complaining. Holding a silver packet of tea, Arthur could only vent his frustrations to Francis. Who, as always, poked idly at his food whilst the shorter man chewed his ear off. Francis leaned on his fist, slowly poking his food and shifting it around gently. His face defeated and exhausted. Francis's sparkling blue eyes were dull and empty, his mouth pulled into a frown. 

"Arthur seems angry," Feliciano said in a low voice, pointing in his direction. Ludwig raised a brow, it wasn't the first time he had seen Arthur chew off the ear of Francis. They slinked past their table and made their way towards food storage. Ludwig did listen in, however. 

"That lazy wanker still hasn't woken up yet," Arthur said sternly, angrily slurping tea from his Capri sun silver packet. Francis sighed heavily, maybe a little obnoxiously. 

"He'll be fine, we just have to teach him a lesson when he does wake up" Francis said with a shrug. Alfred hadn't woken up yet? Ludwig was not shocked by this fact. He picked up a packet of chicken. The packet was slightly squishy. Placing it beside the bread he picked up, Ludwig grabbed a coffee packet and sat down beside Francis and Arthur. 

"Ey Ludwig, Captain America hasn't woken up yet," Francis said casually to Ludwig, who simply smirked ever so slightly. Ludwig was never one to gossip, but he never complained about hearing it. 

"Is that so?" he asked, opening his chicken packet and layering the meat onto his bread. Arthur slurped his tea and tapped at the table. 

"Honestly," he said in a small voice, staring at the label of his tea. It was a plain white label with three words: English Breakfast tea. Arthur experimented with trying to peel off the label but gave up immediately. 

"Maybe being in space has got to him" Feliciano suggested, even Arthur disagreed with this. Shaking his head, Arthur looked directly at Feliciano. 

"No, you heard him before when he spoke to Ivan, he loves being in space," Arthur said, staring glumly at his tea label. Francis laughed and slapped the Briton on the shoulder earning a glare from Arthur. 

"He will be okay, trust me," Francis said, leaning towards Arthur's face. Arthur looked up at Francis and sighed. 

"Well, he better wake up, we're heading straight for some astroids and he needs to shoot them down for me," Arthur said frankly. In one big gulp, he finished his tea and threw the packet in the rubbish bin. Like an old man, he stretched his back and rose from the table. 

"I'll be off, enjoy your lunch," he said, before leaving the table. Francis gave a wink and a small little wave as he left. Arthur hid his red face and stomped through the automatic door. The three other nations sat together in silence for a moment. Only the sound was Feliciano trying desperately to tear open his bread packet. With a frustrated grunt, Ludwig took the packet from his hands tore the packet open. Smiling, Feliciano removed the bread and turned to Ludwig. 

"Ah thank you," he said before preparing his sandwich. Francis turned to Ludwig. 

"Arthur seems pissed, ey?" he asked, looking at Ludwig from the corner of his eyes. Ludwig shrugged. It's true, Arthur always has an issue with something or he always has something to nitpick about. However, the frustration for Alfred was not faulted. It was a shared frustration only Arthur was willing to express, perhaps including Ivan and Yao. 

"It seems so," Ludwig said, biting into a chicken sandwich. Francis sniffed, Ludwig wasn't the talking type, or moreover he wasn't the talking type to Francis. Even as neighbours they didn't say much to each other. Standing up from the table, Francis pushed his hair back over his shoulder and smiled. 

"Back to work, au revoir," he said with an air of grace to his voice. Swiftly, he turned and made his way through the same door Arthur did. The door hissed as it opened and closed. 

Ludwig and Feliciano parted ways after their lunch, much to Feliciano's protests. As Ludwig left the cafeteria, something was bothering him. Alfred had slept in for a long time. He checked his watch. It read half-past one in the afternoon. He wasn't shocked Alfred would sleep in but would Alfred sleep in this late? Ludwig contemplated visiting his cabin. No. That's Arthur's responsibility. Any issue regarding Alfred was always solved via Arthur. Ludwig presumed Arthur wouldn't ignore Alfred all day. The issue left his mind and he pressed on towards the upper engine. 

As he approached the door of the upper engine, the door hissed open before he entered. Emerging from the engine room, was Ivan. Hands and sleeves drenched in petrol, some had even splashed on his face. Ludwig halted in his path. The potent smell of petrol choked him. 

"Ivan" he began, coughing slightly. 

"Ah, sorry was just refueling the engine," Ivan said, smiling innocently. Ludwig sighed and relaxed his body. The refueling was the only time he saw Ivan. The tall, imposing man loomed at the doorway. Ludwig wasn't frightened of Ivan. Instead, he was careful. Ivan often completed his tasks so Ludwig had no room to criticize him. 

"Oh Ja, Danke," Ludwig said, taking a few steps closer. 

"Say," Ivan said, shaking some loose drips of petrol from his clothing. Ludwig raised his brows slightly at this action. 

"Have you seen Alfred today?" Ivan asked, turning his body to face Ludwig. Ludwig could not read Ivan. His face was flat but smiling and chipper. The corners of his eyes creased with his broad smile. 

"No, nobody has seen Alfred," Ludwig said. The Russian sighed, his chest rising and falling as he does. Gently, he tucked his scarf closer to his neck. 

"What a shame, I was hoping to share lunch with him," Ivan said hanging his head in defeat. Before Ludwig could respond, Ivan turned the corner and disappeared down the hallway. Ludwig was left standing alone. The engine rumbled through the walls and Ivan's footsteps grew more distant. The smell of petrol began to fade. Ludwig found his talks with Ivan stiff. 

In navigation, Arthur leaned back in his chair. It was a large, plush leather seat complete with armrests. Arthur rather liked this chair, he didn't have to get up and move all the buttons were within his reach. Navigation was small but it had the greatest view. A wide window stretched across the wall. Showing the endless abyss of space. It wasn't like the small windows in the cabins. Computer screens displayed maps, nearby planets, displayed estimated arrival times and current speed. Arthur enjoyed working with maps and directions, a skill he often valued from his days of sailing. He glanced at the empty space where Alfred would normally be. While he enjoyed the silence, he couldn't ignore the absence of Alfred. Arthur let out an exasperated sigh. 

"You have been sighing every ten minutes, go look for hamburger lover" Francis called from shields, rolling his eyes at yet another sigh. Arthur ignored him for a moment. Alfred is an adult, he doesn't need to be reminded when to turn up for work. He doesn't need to be reminded he has work at all. Then again, this Alfred. Arthur tilted his head, debating whether to give in to Alfred's antics. It wouldn't hurt to check. If he is sleeping, Arthur can pull him out of bed like he did when he was a child. If he hiding from work, Arthur can just easily pull him from his cabin. With a smirk on his face, he made his choice. 

"Okay fine, I'll go check on the wanker" he said, fed up with Francis nagging him. He followed Francis' voice and found him leaning against the railing of the ship. Francis gazed towards the horizon of space. Arthur swore he could see the reflection of the stars in his eyes. Hearing a disturbance, Francis turned to face Arthur. He smiled lovingly. 

"He'll be okay, he's probably just overslept," he said, reassuring Arthur. Francis glided over to Arthur and pulled him into a hug. Arthur nodded and looked up at his lover. Francis' handsome, porcelain-like face beamed down at him. His pink lips were shiny and plump. Sometimes Arthur wondered if Francis smuggled lip gloss onto the ship. 

"Yeah yeah," the tired Briton said. Francis chuckled slightly and gave Arthur a deep kiss on his cheek. 

"Oui oui," Francis said, mocking Arthur. Arthur smirked a little and left the clutches of Francis. As Arthur left Francis, the Frenchman leaned against the railing. Watching the smaller nation make his way down the hallway. Something about the way Arthur played hard and teased made Francis all the more affectionate. Feeling his cheeks prickle with heat, he decided to check the shields. 

It didn't take long for Arthur to reach the hallway of cabins. Each door was labeled with each name, finding Alfred won't be so difficult. Arthur walked along the corridor, peering at each nameplate on the cabin doors. Each door was identical to the next. The corridor was a labyrinth and each door led to a new world. Arthur chuckled at his meandering imagination. Upon reaching Alfred's door, he halted in his path and stared at it. Raising a knuckle, he knocked twice. The metallic sound echoed slightly. 

"Oi wanker, you've been sleeping all day, I need you in weapons" Arthur called out. Silence. No sound of scrambling, no shouting or shrieks of horror. Only silence. Arthur paused for a moment. The only sound was the constant hum of the ship. Arthur furrowed his thick brows. 

"Come on Alfred, this isn't funny," the Briton said scowling, he knocked harder this time. The cold metal was hard against his finger. His knuckle stung slightly. All Arthur heard was silence. Alfred wasn't that heavy of a sleeper, surely? Arthur looked around the hallway. He was alone. The nearest room was the cafeteria. As he looked around, the corridor seemed longer than before. 

"Right, I've had enough, I'm coming in ready or not," Arthur said firmly. He tested the handle of the door, it was open. The door cracked open ajar. Immediately, Arthur was greeted with a foul smell. It wasn't body odor or dirty clothes. This was much worse. Scrunching up his nose and cursing to himself, Arthur sheepishly pushed open the door. As the door opened wider, the smell grew more pungent. Tears welled in his eyes. Pinching his nose, he took a step into Alfred's cabin. Arthur immediately regretted this choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wee hee things are getting a little bit exciting! It's gonna get reaaaaal angsty up in here! As always, thank you for reading!


	6. It Hurts To Speak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur stumbles across his worst nightmare and nations are left puzzled. With no idea why, the nations have a body on their hands.

Arthur took a small step into Alfred's cabin. He froze. In the corner of the room, slumped on the floor, was Alfred.  
His skin was white and papery. His eyes open but they were dead. Those eyes were frightened. They looked glassy and wet. Dry tears shined on his cheeks. Blond tuffs of hair were messy and ruffled. Blood dried his hair in clumps. His glasses were cracked and the frame bent askew. Alfred's face was contorted, his mouth wide open, screaming silently. His eyes expressed nothing, they were dark and empty. The sparkling brilliance of Alfred's eyes had been robbed from him. Alfred's face was zombie-like. 

The wound on his chest made Arthur retch. His chest was brutalised. A gaping wound, oozing with blood. His sickly pale skin sprayed with blood. Damaged flesh clung to the wound. The material of his spacesuit was soaked and stuck to his skin. His once sparkling white suit was stained and torn. 

Arthur stumbled back and cried out in anguish. His entire body was repulsed. Choking, Arthur leaned against the wall with one hand on his stomach. He squeezed his eyes shut. It's a prank. It's a stupid prank that only that wanker could pull. He was going to lift his head, and Alfred would rise from the ground and start laughing. Arthur felt bile in his throat. The acid burned in his throat stung. He let out another cry. Tears cascaded down his face. His jaw shook and his teeth chattered slightly. Lifelessly, Arthur slid down the wall and fell to the ground. There he sat, on his knees. It was awfully quiet. The hum of the spaceship continued. Nobody came running. Nobody called out. Arthur sobbed. Alfred died alone, nobody hearing his screams. Sluggishly, Arthur rolled onto his back. He stared at the metal ceiling. Blinking tears from his eyes, Arthur just laid there. 

Arthur didn't know how long he laid there for. Muffled footsteps approached him. He couldn't place who it was. Staring blankly at the ceiling, Arthur didn't even turn to see who was coming. 

"Mr. Britain?" A voice called. It was too muffled. 

"Mr. Britain?" the voice called again, more urgently this time. The footsteps sped up. Only one person called him Mr. Britain. Is that Kiku? 

A familiar face loomed over him. He could make out the short black hair and a small expression of concern. Mr. Britain was not one to lay on the floor and act so strange. 

"Are you feeling okay?" The voice asked, Arthur continued staring at the ceiling. He knew this voice and he knew this face. The familiar friend glanced inside of Alfred's cabin. There a moment of silence before the friend froze. The friend looked at Arthur then back at Alfred's cabin. 

"I'll come back" the voice panicked, before darting away. The frantic footsteps grew more and more distant. Arthur was left in silence. His body felt heavy. Behind Arthur's eyes, images flashed through his mind like hitting rewind on a videotape. This videotape would stop at a special scene. 

Beneath a tall tree, sat a blond man. Hunched over, hiding from the world. The wind breezed past the blond man, tussling his hair. He just had a fight with Francis. He cursed Francis, taking away his chance for a little brother. Arthur grew up with brothers, but they grew more and more distant. His brother in Scotland was not much to be desired. Pressing his face into the crease of his arm, Arthur felt the tears trickle down his face. His chest ached. It was tight and knotted up. Arthur wanted to cry out and release his anguish. Reputation held him back. To cry in front of the likes of Francis would be embarrassing. 

Suddenly, a small hand touched his arm. Delicate and kind. It was not malicious. It was soft and nurturing. Slowly, Arthur turned his head. A small boy, with similarly blond coloured hair, smiled at him. Glossy blue eyes sparkled at him. His small mouth stretched into a smile. The wind tussled his hair also. Arthur lifted his head slightly. His face shiny and damp with tears. The little boy frowned, reached out with his tiny hand, and clumsily smeared the tears from Arthur's eyes. 

"Don't cry, I want you to be my big brother" the small boy said, in a voice that was so sweet and innocent. The boy didn't know why Arthur cried, but he knew it hurt. Especially when you cry alone. Arthur wiped his face and pulled the boy close to him. Pressing his face into his hair, Arthur smiled widely for the first time. The young boy clung to his new big brother. He finally had a big brother to protect him. Arthur didn't have to cry alone anymore. 

The scene melted away back into Arthur's memories. The sudden movement of Arthur's body stirred him. He felt his body lifted from the ground. Strong arms carried him down the hallway. Arthur tilted his head. Ludwig. Arthur sighed and sunk into his arms. He wasn't sure where they were heading. Sniffling, he pressed his face against Ludwig. 

Ludwig and Arthur emerged through the door. Everyone else had gathered for an emergency meeting. Nations looked confused or concerned. Not much time had passed since the last crisis. Yao leaned against the table and yawned. Francis elbowed him harshly, earning a glare from Yao. However, Yao's brief bitterness soon vanished when he saw the state of Arthur. Ludwig placed him on the bench and balanced him. Arthur blinked a few times and held the edge of the table to steady himself. He nodded a thank you to Ludwig. 

"Arthur?! What the hell happened?" Francis cried, pulling his way towards Arthur. Not a sound came from Arthur. Francis took hold of his hand and cradled it. Gently stroking the back of his hand, Arthur turned to face Francis. Ludwig cleared his throat sheepishly. 

"I'll get straight to the point. Arthur found Alfred dead in his cabin" Ludwig said firmly. Silence fell on the nations. Kiku sighed and slumped his shoulders. Yao sat up straight. Ivan's eyes widened slightly. Feliciano's mouth fell open in disbelief. Francis coddled the broken Briton, gently whispering in his ear. 

"Wha..." was all Yao could begin to say. His throat had clamped shut, no words left his mouth. Ludwig looked around at his friends. Shock weighed on their shoulders. He often found Ivan hard to read, but even this moment Ivan blinked out a small tear. Feliciano shrunk into his seat and wept quietly. 

"Now, I recognise this is extremely difficult. But we must determine what happened" Ludwig continued. The brave face Ludwig displayed became more transparent. Feliciano glanced at Ludwig. It took every ounce of Ludwig not to break down himself. The corners of his lips pulled into a frown, his eyes glassy. Feebly, Feliciano reached under the table and squeezed his hand. Ludwig softened slightly and cleared his throat again. 

"Ludwig, is this really the time?" Yao asked, cutting through the terrible silence. He glanced at Ludwig, waiting for his answer. 

"I know, but we must understand what happened so it doesn't happen to the rest of us," he said in a thick voice. Francis looked up for a moment, his eyes flickered towards Ludwig. Francis didn't glare but he certainly didn't like Ludwig at this moment. 

"Can't this wait?" he asked, nodding his head at Arthur. Gingerly, Kiku raised his hand slightly. 

"I understand Mr. Britain's grief but I also understand the urgency and concern Mr. Germany is feeling," Kiku said in a small voice. The nations were split. Ludwig wanted answers. Francis wanted silence. Ivan's eyes flickered to each nation, gauging their reaction. Blinking away his tears, he adjusted his scarf and sighed. 

"I agree with Kiku" he spoke, in a low gruff tone. 

"Fine then," Ludwig said and he leaned against the table. The first emergency meeting of the journey. Anxiety flared inside of his chest, Ludwig felt his heart pounding. A breath was caught in his throat. He felt the eyes of Francis staring at him, daring Ludwig to choose his next words carefully. 

"Arthur, where did you find Alfred?" Ludwig asked gently. Francis almost scowled before Arthur spoke. 

"In his cabin" he croaked. The other nations nodded glumly and waited to hear what Ludwig would have to say next. Kiku remained as silent as ever. He was however grateful Ludwig led the meeting. Nobody else seemed willing to and Arthur can barely muster the strength to speak. Kiku slouched his shoulders. He glanced at Yao. It was unusual to Yao so silent and withdrawn. Being as old Yao, he has seen atrocities throughout the years. But to see him grieve was unusual. 

"Can you describe what you saw, Arthur?" Ludwig asked hesitantly. Ivan glanced at Ludwig, still hiding in his scarf but nonetheless, he watched to see what Ludwig would do. Ludwig shuffled slightly, feeling the gaze of the looming Russian man beside him. 

"Ludwig" Francis hissed, his voice quick and venomous. Before Ludwig could react, Arthur pressed a hand against Francis, gesturing him to calm down. Arthur sighed heavily, his breath shaky and croaky. 

"He was on the floor. There was blood everywhere" he began. This shocked the others. Blood? Kiku looked at Feliciano, who had his hands clasped over his mouth. Tears flooded down his face. His hands holding back stifled whimpers and sobs. Yao turned to Ivan and grabbed his sleeve in his hand. Gently, Ivan placed his hand on Yao's. 

"Blood?" Ludwig asked, his eyes widening in shock. His heart began to beat harder inside his chest. The beating rang through his ears. Blood rushed to his face. Arthur nodded once. Ludwig's gaze remained on Arthur for a moment. 

"He was covered in blood," Arthur said in a small voice. The nations listened to Arthur's every last word. Yao and Ivan sank into the background. They hunched together and did not let go of one another. Beside Yao, was Feliciano. His eyes squeezed shut. Tears stained his face, his hands covered his mouth. Feliciano wanted to leave. Leave this room and leave this spacecraft. With no escape, he shut down and didn't speak a single word. 

"It might not have been natural causes that killed Alfred," Kiku said to Ludwig. The nations turned to Kiku. Francis was difficult to read. He looked angry, yet sad at the same time. His usually expressive and animated face was flat. The room felt cold. Yao glanced subtly at Ivan, the Russian man's eyes watched Kiku. Ludwig grimaced. 

"What makes you say that?" Ludwig asked, turning his body towards Kiku. Kiku gulped. All eyes were on him, such a controversial statement would not go without scrutiny. He balled up his clammy hands and exhaled heavily. 

"Arthur, Alfred was covered in blood. What sickness could cause such bleeding?" he asked, his voice wobbled slightly. Silence filled the air, the tension was thick and Kiku felt like he was drowning. He looked at Ludwig for support, his eyes frantic and desperate. Ludwig shifted. 

"I don't know, Kiku" Ludwig sighed. 

"But Alfred wasn't sick," Arthur said in a thick voice, his eyes red and puffy. He wiped his eyes on his sleeve again, Francis gently tidied some of the messy strands of Arthur's hair. 

"You damn well when he is sick, he never stops talking about it" Arthur continued. Sickness was ruled out. It slowly dawned on the nations that something on this ship was not friendly, or at least not allied with them. Ludwig struggled to swallow the dry lump in his throat. Nobody had anticipated illness on this journey and the spacecraft was built with all countries in alliance with each other. Surely nobody would sabotage this journey, surely? it had every nation's best interests in mind. Ludwig held his chin. Shaking beside him, Feliciano breathed slowly. Trying to regain control over his emotions. 

"I think it's best we sleep on this" Yao suggested, breaking the thick silence that made the room feel so claustrophobic. The group sighed a silent breath of relief. Ivan looked at Yao and squeezed his hand. Francis slowly rose from the cafeteria bench and led Arthur back to navigation without a single word. Kiku glanced at Ludwig and Feliciano. Slowly, the nations trickled away until only Kiku and Ludwig remained. 

When only they remained, Ludwig turned to Kiku. His icy blue eyes were glassy. 

"Kiku, when you found Arthur, did you look inside the cabin?" Ludwig asked, tightly intertwining his fingers together. His pale skin stretched tightly over his white knuckles. The tips of his fingers pressed into his skin. Kiku swallowed. 

"Yes, just briefly I glanced inside the cabin" he replied, watching Ludwig's hands wrap around themselves more tightly. He had never seen such behaviour from Ludwig. This further struck uncertainty in Kiku's mind. 

"Tell me what you saw, I want to know everything," Ludwig said firmly. Kiku's mouth opened slightly, then closed again. He felt Ludwig's piercing eyes. He wondered if Ludwig was angry. 

"Alfred was on the ground, against the wall. Blood was smeared everywhere. The walls, the window. His body...." Kiku's voice trailed away. The bloody scene flashed in his mind. The rancid smell of dried blood and decay. The white walls painted red with blood. The gaping wound in Alfred's chest and his frozen expression of terror. The image of Alfred's screaming face was burned in his mind. Ludwig nodded, encouraging him to continue. 

"Alfred had this wound on his chest, lots of blood coming from it. He might have had some bruises too but I can't recall" Kiku said as he shuddered. Ludwig raised his brows when Kiku finished. Both nations had seen horrors in their country's past. Ludwig was no stranger to addressing such horrors and Kiku admired his drive. Kiku struggled to speak so openly yet Ludwig showed no fear in tackling such difficult topics. Kiku watched the younger nation before him. In such a short span of time, Ludwig was confronted with the horrors of his nation's past and it's something he grew used to. Kiku, like other nations around him, had unspoken skeletons in their cupboards. 

"Thank you, Kiku," Ludwig said, before finally composing himself and leaving Kiku alone at the table. The doors hissed as he left. Kiku pressed his lips together and sunk into his seat. He stared at his hands on his lap. A huge weight was relieved from his shoulders, Kiku wasn't drowning anymore. To finally speak about this burden felt nice. He could breathe again. Is this what it means to speak about true horror one carries? It hurts to speak about it. Kiku sniffled. He sat alone in the cafeteria, staring dumbly at his hands. It hurts to speak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A body has been discovered! Also, sorry this chapter took so long to finish. Had some things with work and life to deal with! This chapter is longer so I hope this makes up for it ;__; also apologies for any mistakes, I wanted to upload this pretty quickly!

**Author's Note:**

> so ive been hooked on among us and decided to throw the hetalia crew into this, to be honest its an excuse to write some gory murder and angst.


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